And So The Girl Fell In Love With The Wolf
by MyRedStilettosAndMySwitchblade
Summary: ** au, set from Bella's wedding forward, pack & embry oc centric, sister fic ** Cheyenne Swan came back to Forks for her sister's wedding, but her parents think that a change in pace will do her some good. Were they right? And what will she get into? What will happen when a certain quiet Quileute shifter imprints her? Will it be enough to settle her down? r&r, first twific be easy
1. Chapter 1

Family Time & A Pet, Maybe

"Seriously, Dad? You're taking Mom's side too?" Cheyenne asked, looking up at her father with wide brown eyes, pouting a little even. But Charlie Swan wasn't having that, no sir. He'd heard all about the stuff his youngest had been up to while left by herself supposedly to go to school, while Phil and Renee, her mother and his former wife, were gone on several back to back trips.

And whether Cheyenne liked it or not, Charlie agreed with Renee. Cheyenne was heading down a bad road, as her parents, it fell to them to stop her from wrecking her life.

So they'd talked things over and decided that it was for the best if Cheyenne made the trip to Forks, that she was taking for her older sister's wedding (which they were standing in the reception of, currently), to Edward Cullen, a permanent move. And Renee was shipping her things down in a day or two. The only problem with this, of course was that his former wife stuck him yet again with the role of bad guy.

Renee had a habit of doing this.. He'd been the one to tell Bella and Cheyenne about the divorce, he'd been the one who just wouldn't come with her so they could be a family, or at least that's how both the girls had perceived things, until Charlie told them both the truth.. And when one or both got into something at school, she was calling him, letting him know about it. As if there were a damn thing he COULD do from Forks when their kids were with her, in Phoenix.

He sighed and Bella palmed her face. She knew of course, the stuff her baby sister liked to get herself into when not under a very watchful set of eyes, so nothing she heard surprised her when her mom and her dad talked to her about what she thought about what they planned to do. And she'd specifically told her father NOT to just go in, guns blazing.

You couldn't just do that with her baby sister, it'd only encourage her to act out more. Which Bella never really understood, but hey.. She had a lot of room to talk, she figured, given her recent years and the antics from those. She'd probably given her father waay more than her fair share of gray hairs.

"Yes, Cheyenne. I am taking your mother's side. What's wrong with living in Forks?"

"Nothing, I guess... But there's like.. Nothing to freaking do."

"You have cheer squad, gymnastics, dance lessons, mostly AP beginners college courses.. And you want something else to add to that?" Charlie asked as Bella spoke up and said "What she means, dad is that there's nothing FUN to do.. That thing I didn't enjoy having when I was her age?"

"Ahh.. Well you're not going to have time to get into anything, and I've already enrolled you in courses. Instead of sending you to Forks High, I'm gonna send you to school on the reservation.. With your old buddies, Seth and Leah? Remember them?"

Cheyenne groaned and raked her hands through her hair. This was not going well.. Already back in Forks, and it felt like the walls were closing in, big time. Not to mention that her father was seeing a woman named Sue, who's two children she used to play with as a kid when she and Bella visited.

Truth be told, she always spent more time on the reservation with the Blacks, the Atearas and the Clearwaters.. But still, Jacob noticed her dull as dirt big sister. That's possibly why she was dreading this whole 'visit' becoming a permanent stay.

She could already feel the shadow of her sister's so called greatness closing over her. She grumbled and raked her hand through her long and thick dark brown hair as she said quietly, "Fine. But don't expect me to like this. Because I don't.. It's my freaking senior year, dad, and I had so much planned."

"And this boy, Evan.. You will not be writing or calling him. He's 25, Cheyenne, if he wants you, it's for one reason and one only, and it's not good." Charlie continued, watching her face as she looked relieved for a moment. He made a mental note to ask Renee if she'd noticed anything weird about the guy, when he talked to her again.

"Fine, whatever." she said as she walked away from the group, taking a few huge deep breaths. "I just hope to hell he can't come here." she muttered to herself as she waited outside the building for her father, her sister and her sister's husband's family to walk out.

"Did anyone else see what I saw?" Bella asked as her father looked at her, nodded and said "So you noticed she looked relieved when I said no Evan."

"Mhmm.. Edward.. You said earlier she doesn't have a shield like me or dad.. Get in there and see what the hell's going on in her head." Bella asked as Edward nodded, focusing. He sighed and said "She's scared to death of the guy, Charlie. Don't really know why, she doesn't think about one concrete thing, really, just so many different things that it's misleading."

"Nothing about abuse..Right?"

"I don't think you want that answer, sir." Edward replied honestly as Bella grumbled, swore a little under her breath. "I don't get it.. After all the stuff I've told her about finding a guy who respects her.." before the group of them emerged from the reception hall just in time to see her talking to a guy who from the back looked familiar, and not in a good way, either.

As soon as they got around the corner well enough to hear, Bella stiffened as the deep and rich musical quality of Alec Volturi's voice hit her. "What the fuck is he thinking?"

"She's flirting with him. He likes the attention.. And he's sort of warming to her.. Which is interesting.. But it can't be a good thing." Edward whispered back as Charlie walked on ahead and said calmly, "We're going home, Cheyenne."

Alec watched her walking away, smirking to himself slightly.

The girl's blood sang to him, enticed him. But he digressed, he was here for a mission. Certain things were promised when Edward bought his little 'human pet' back to Volterra not so long.. And he and his twin, Jane, they were here with Aro to see to it that those things were carried out.

"Now this could be an amusing chase." he mumbled, predatory smirk filling his face making his milkish red eyes dance as he thought about tasting her blood, dining on her flesh.

Or maybe turning her.. Not as a mate, mind you, as a plaything.

Once the group was back at her fathers, Bella walked into her old room behind her sister who was still giving everyone the silent treatment and cleared her throat.

"That guy.. "

"Hot, right?"

"Dangerous, sis. And off limits.. You see him, you better run."

"And why the hell would I do that, Bella?" Cheyenne asked, eyes shining in mischief as she tilted her head to one side, stared at her sister in curiousity.

"Because, Cheyenne. I don't want to go to my sister's funeral. And make no mistake. He will do his best to either kill or destroy you. His name is Alec."

"Fine whatever.. It's not like I actually like the guy, damn." Cheyenne said dismissively as she added, "He was just being nice, so I was being nice back."

"What'd he say?"

"Just that he could tell that being the 'baby sister' was upsetting.. That I was beautiful and I should be given a chance to shine, not be stuck in your shadow all the time." Cheyenne admitted as she looked at her sister.

"I'm going to rip his fucking head off." Bella said as she looked at her sister and sighing said "You are beautiful.. And you're not in my shadow, sis. I don't know why in the hell you keep convincing yourself that you're not good enough or smart enough or pretty enough. Because to be completely honest, sis, I wish I were more like you when I'd been that age. I might have liked Forks High more."

"You do not." Cheyenne said as Bella hugged her and said quietly, "Yeah, I do. Do you think I LIKED only really having Jessica around 90 percent of the time."

"It could be worse, I suppose. He could have stuck me in Forks High with nobody I know or care to know." Cheyenne mused aloud as she asked, "So that guy's really a bad guy, huh?"

"Yes. Stay the hell away from Alec Volturi, sis."

Cheyenne nodded and then said quietly, "He kind of.."

"Scared you, right?"

"Yeah. Like Evan.." Cheyenne admitted as Bella asked, "Why are you afraid he'll show up here?"

"Damn it.. Cullen got in my mind again, didn't he?"

"We were concerned, so yes, he did."

"Ughh, really? Sis, I'm 18. High time I learned to stand up for me."

"Not if you think you're in over your head." Bella stated calmly as she said "We're sisters.. I'm supposed to watch out for you."

She still got a dirty look, but Cheyenne hugged her and said quietly, "Maybe one day I'll get lucky, find a good guy like you."

"You could.. If you'd leave the toxic ones alone." Bella pointed out as Cheyenne shook her head. Somehow, she doubted it. She just seemed to draw trouble, bad vibes.

She flopped down onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. When her phone rang, she looked at it a minute, then threw it down on the bed. "So.. I'm back here.. Now what?" she muttered to herself as she stood, stretched, slunk down the stairs.

"You have school tomorrow. Leah said she'd take you." Charlie called out from the den as she walked back, into the den and said quietly, "Yes sir. She doesn't mind, right?"

"Nope. She's actually excited about it, said it'll be nice to have a girl in the car for once."

"Cool.. I'm gonna go out to the garage.. Maybe dance or something, work on this new routine we were learning for the competitions back in Phoenix."

"Don't stay up too late." Charlie said as he sighed when she walked out the door. He knew she wasn't happy about being forced to move here, but he really didn't understand why, other than it being her senior year, and all of her plans.

But if they didn't do something now...

Once in the garage, Cheyenne plugged in a radio, slid in on of her cd's, stretched a little bit then stood, working on their floor routine for the cheer competition.

Maybe they'd have a team at La Push High and she could go out for it.. Or something. It was almost the middle of the year, she found herself worried that she'd have nothing to do.

And if she didn't, she'd spend all of her time looking over her shoulder waiting on Evan to show up, scare and hurt her like he'd been doing a while now before this last incident of hers got her shipped to her fathers to live.

Deep down, she knew the truth.. She knew if she pushed just a little too far, she'd be punished.. And that'd be her moving to Forks to live with her father.

And she didn't have the courage to get away from Evan, her older boyfriend, on her own.. So doing what she'd done got her out safely.. Now she just had to worry about staying out, of course.

In the far off distance, the howl of a lone wolf filled her arms with shivers and she peeked out of the garage, the sounds of a very old Roy Orbison song called Pretty Woman (which she'd been making up a sort of old swing type dance to) played behind her as she stepped out into the night, barefooted, still in the off white and vintage bridesmaids dress she'd worn in her sister's wedding.

The bushes rustled and she found herself biting her nails, backing away, hand out behind her so she'd know where the doorknob to the door on the side of the garage beside their house was. Instead, she saw a large gray wolf standing there, black speckling on his fur.. He looked at her, nose in the air as if he were sniffing something, and made his way over slowly. She stifled a giggle as his cold wet nose brushed against her hand cautiously.

Bending slightly, she stroked the animal's fur as she said quietly, "Hey, you're a cutie.. "

_"Nowhere close to you."_Embry mused to himself as he nudged his nose against her cheek, the sound of her giggle making his blood almost boil. _'Just one question though, you amazingly sexy angel.. When did you come back? And what the hell are you listening to?' _he thought next as she smiled and then said "Wanna come in, warm up?"

Despite everything he was supposed to do right now, turn and run, he found himself drawn to her. He followed her into the garage of Charlie's house, finding it warmer, not that he was cold, of course, he never actually got cold, perks of being a shifter.. But she started to dance and he sat on his rear, watching her, forming as best a smile as he could.

She flopped down, tired as she said "I'm gonna be around from now on.. You can come visit me.. I never really got to have a pet.. Sister's damn allergies."

Embry nuzzled against her in his wolf form, trying to warm her up, wondering why the hell she wasn't wearing a jacket or shoes, it was still pretty cold out.

The howls of his pack members had him groaning mentally as he licked her, nuzzled againg her one last time, and then took off for the woods after making sure she went indoors.

Cheyenne walked inside and then said quietly, "Dad, going up to bed. Love you. And I'm not really too mad.."

Charlie hugged her and watched her walk up the stairs, taking a few deep breaths. Maybe this move was just the thing that needed to happen for her.

Little did he realize just how right he was.

* * *

**NOTES:**

**This is my first ever Twilight fanfic. And yes, it is a sis fic. Yes, I realize that Bella was an only child.. But what if she hadn't been? Not really crazy about Bella, but hey, gonna make this work as best as I can. No flames, please? No lists of corrections, small or otherwise. I realize that she didn't have a sister, that my grammar's not the greatest and people / events might not be as they were in the book. Do I want it pointed out? No, I do not. This is alterate universe for a reason, sheesh.**

**Pairing is Embry x Oc, because damn it, why the hell would you not imprint Embry on some lucky girl? He's a sweetheart and his portrayers were both le hawt and coincidentally, almost exactly what I envisioned while reading the book series.**

**It's set from Bella's wedding forward, with emphasis on the pack and my original character and her sexy pairing, Embry Call. There may or may not be sisterly cattiness too. Oh and yeah, there will be only a loose following of the events in the series from Bella's wedding forward, with my own little twists and turns here and there, the key one being a jerk of an ex, and of course, as mentioned, Alec Volturi.**

**Again, no flames or lists of things to change, please? The original character is not going to be an annoying needy little brat of a Sue, either, trust me when I say this. For info on her, it's on my bio. **


	2. Chapter 2

First Day At La Push High

She might have just rolled over when the knocking on her bedroom door started. Grumbling, she made herself get up and rubbing her eyes she said aloud, "Okay, damn.. I'm awake, I swear.. Do we want the dead to be woken too, while we're at it?" and throwing on her zebra striped robe, she opened the door, squealing when the other side revealed Leah standing on it, hand on her hip.

"Chey? You're not dressed already?"

"My alarm.. Fuck.. I bet I forgot to set the damn thing. I'll be dressed in a few minutes, promise." Cheyenne muttered as she hurried around the room, grabbing clothes, shoes, then into the adjoining bathroom, shutting the door, dressing, calling out to Leah, "You can come in.."

"I'm standing in your room you goofball." Leah stated as she held up a nighty by the strap, and then a high heel, raising a brow. "Really?"

"What? I hate being a short person, okay? Besides.. Like my legs, those suckers make them look amazing."

"And you're not afraid of breaking your neck or a leg while walking on them?"

"Nah.. When you've done at least 4 gruelling hours of en pointe on the tips of your toes, you pretty much can walk in anything." Cheyenne said as Leah nodded, still not completely sure she was buying it.

"Seth's so excited.. I wish I were going back to La Push High now, to be honest. Why didn't your dad stick you in Forks High though?"

"Because, I have a quick temper and Jessica Stanley brings out my inner bitch. I've already been in probably 7 fights at my old school.. But I'm not sure either, to be honest." Cheyenne admitted as she looked at her old best friend and then said "Damn it. Not fair. Even you're taller than me. At this rate, I'll start aging like Benjamin freaking Button or something." while slicking on some red strawberry flavored lip gloss before sliding her feet into a pair of wedge heeled sandals, and then announcing, "Okay, I'm all ready.. This looks okay, right?"

"You look great.. Come on already, damn it. You might be squished.. The guys are bums, as in they won't take their own damn car."

"What guys? I look like crap and there's gonna be guys riding with... Damn it."

"Come on, Cheyenne." Leah said as she made a mental note to arrange things so that Embry's little princess had to either sit dangerously close to him or on his lap, just for her own personal amusement.

Seth snickered as once again, Quil and Jared were teasing Embry about his having imprinted on Bella's sister. "So.. What's she look like?"

Seth smirked, showing a picture from Bella's recent wedding, Quil elbowing Embry as he said with a suggestive wink, "Hot damnnn..." just to get a rise from his friend.

"Hahaha. Nope, you're still a dickhead." Embry grumbled as again, the scent of her hit his nose and his head snapped up, watching her walk out of the house behind Leah, watching the way her body swayed when she walked.

"Those shoes are gonna be the death of her yet." Seth groaned as Jared elbowed Embry and said calmly, "Dude.. You're drooling.. And it's getting on my arm.. Have some restraint, buddy, damn."

"And you did when you imprinted Kim?" Embry asked, giving Jared a glare as the guys fell silent. Leah opened her door, got in and then said " Hey guys, make room.. And be nice, damn it."

Of course, Jared and Quil didn't really have much room to make, so Cheyenne wound up sandwiched in Embry's lap, since he was the one right next to the door. Embry's face reddened as Cheyenne quickly teased, "Normally, I don't do this til the second date, stud." while giving him a flirty wink.

His skin was so warm, it was actually quite a cozy seat. From the driver seat, Leah asked, "So, Chey? Going out for cheer squad here? She's all state back at her old school, guys." bragging, mostly to see Embry's reaction to this surprising news.. When they were all younger, Cheyenne had been pretty damn shy, she'd sort of always followed both Jacab and Embry around like a little lost puppy, it'd been the cutest thing, really.

And now, Embry imprinted her.

Go figure, right?

"You're a cheerleader?" Quil asked as he mouthed just out of her sight, "Ooh la la, Call.." wiggling his brows, Embry smacking the back of his forehead and giving him a warning glare as he asked, "What made you finally move back?" his arms lingerng around her carefully as she shrugged and muttered, "Got into some shit, my mom got pissed, here I am."

"Oh."

"And... I maybe sort of wanted to come back?" Cheyenne added quickly, biting her lower lip as she turned slightly to face him, holding his gaze a moment.

Wow.. He'd really, really done a lot of growing up.. He was.. Well, he was probably ten times hotter than any guy she'd ever seen before.

She found herself wondering why exactly she'd been so hung up on Jacob, then mentally reminding herself that she had certain problems she had to handle before even thinking about getting to know another guy.

And if Evan showed up here, in Washington.. Just the mere thought of it had her shivering a little. Embry felt the light shiver, grumbled a little quietly, but slid the leather jacket he wore around her shoulders wordlessly. "You felt cold." he explained when she looked at him, brow raised questioningly.

"I,uhh, thanks." she muttered as the slightly woodsy scent of his cologne drifted to her nose, making her bite her lower lip. Everything about the grown up version of Embry Call was enticing, she couldn't lie. She found herself leaning just a litlte bit closer, and giggling as a blush crept up into his cheeks as she apologized quietly in a whisper, for having to sit on his lap.

The light went from green to red and Leah had to slam the brakes, sending her lips against his neck. Embry coughed, groaned a little quietly. It felt like a thousand jolts of electricity were running through the spot her lips brushed at against his neck. "Sorry." she muttered again as she got caught in his eyes, then shook her head.

What the hell was getting into her right now?

"It's fine, really.. So, umm, what class do you have first?"

"Don't think I'm a huge nerd, but I actually have AP English." Cheyenne said as she looked at him and asked, "You?"

"Gym."

"Oh. I have that 4th, I think.. Just hoping they let me try out for gymnastics and cheerleading this late in the season, really." she said as Leah pulled into the high school parking lot, let her brother and his friends, Cheyenne unload from the car. For a moment, Cheyenne really did not want to get off of Embry's lap, but she did and then gave Leah a wave, writing her cell phone number down so that Leah could call later, and maybe they could go see a movie or something in Port Angeles.

Seth elbowed Embry, nodded in the direction of known school jerk Max. "Might wanna make things clear to that guy who she belongs with.. Because if Max even goes near her, pretty sure Charlie will kill the guy. And I know I will.. I mean she might be my stepsis in a little while.." Embry nodded, gave Max a good hard and angry glare as the guys caught up to Cheyenne, who was talking to Kim, Jared's girlfriend/imprint.

"So.. Do you think you'll like it here?" Kim asked the new girl as she smiled and added, "I'm Kim, by the way."

"Cheyenne.. And as far as liking it here, it's already a thousand times better than Phoenix and Florida. I mean at least here, my dad's actually around.. And some other stuff and people aren't."

Kim raised a brow but something about the look on the girls face told her that it'd be better not to ask just yet.

"So.. I'll show you around.. I mean, if you want me too." Embry suggested as Cheyenne nodded and said with a bright and slightly flirtatious grin, "I'd like that."

She smiled a little as they walked down the hallway, his pointing out different classes and rooms, and when she saw the ad on the bulletin board, she had to stop, smile to herself.. They were having some kind of 50's themed school dance, apparently. She scanned the ad, Embry standing next to her, watching her, wondering what she was reading. When he read it, he groaned inwardly. He, like most other guys, of course, had your classic case of 2 left feet.

Was she going to even want him near her though, if he'd told her about his having imprinted on her by then? His stomach churned nervously as he hoped that this wasn't setting him up for a rejected imprint.. Because he'd had this huge crush on her when they were both younger. He just acted like he didn't because he thought she only saw him as a brother type friend.

And besides, he was fairly certain that she only ever really noticed Jacob Black.

The bell ringing for everyone to get to class about the same time as they caught up to the others in the hallway had him zoning back in. "See you guys at lunch?" Cheyenne asked as she looked at the guys, their girlfriends hopefully. Kim had this class with her, thankfully, so they sat talking pretty much the whole period.

By the end of that class, they were already getting to be pretty good friends, and Kim warned her, "There's a girl on the cheer squad, Anita.. She's probably going to raise all sorts of hell because you want to try out.. Don't listen to her, because we really, really, really want to go to Nationals.. And I'm co captain so what I say pretty much goes."

Cheyenne nodded and then asked, "So does that mean I can go out for the team?"

"Actually, yeah.. One of the girls messed up her ankle and a knee pretty badly. Please tell me you have a little dance and gymnastics training?"

"Yeah, I do, actually.. When do I try out?"

"This afternoon, right after school, in the gym." Kim said as they parted ways and went to their o ther classes of the day.

By the end of the day, Cheyenne found herself getting excited about being here. She felt more freedom than she did in Phoenix or Florida, and she found herself easily letting her guard down, even though she probably shouldn't.

And Kim was right of course.. The second Anita heard her name, Anita immediately said "Our team's full."

"It isn't, Nita. I'm co captain. Give her a chance." Kim argued as Cheyenne shrugged, turned on some music and then said "Here goes nothing.. I mean it's not my best, but.." as she bounced off to the middle of the court and started doing a routine she and another girl made up at her old school in Florida.

"She's not one of us, Kim."

"And? She's my friend."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. What do you have against her, Anita?"

"Umm, just that her daddy got her in this school, she's not a member of the tribe and Embry Call practically drools when he looks at her as of today." Anita pouted as Kim chuckled and then said "Ahh.. So you want him now.. What about when he asked you to homecoming, Nita?"

"But.."

"But nothing. If he likes her, he likes her. You had your chance, and you blew it for yourself. She's goood. I mean she needs work on her handsprings, the roundoffs, but she's good.I'm voting her on."

"Well I'm not." Anita scowled as she watched Embry and his friends sitting nearby in the bleachers.

It wasn't fair.. So she'd turned him down and laughed off his crush on her in their sophmore year.. Now some new girl, an outsider at that, was going to just come in and get with him?

Anita was furious. She hated losing anything to anyone. And she already hated this little Swan bitch more than anyone else she hated, which coincidentally was a longer list of people, Kim being on it also.. Though she had to 'pretend' to like Kim, for her own sake.. Because not only did Anita want Embry, she was also after Jared.. Or she had been..

"Stupid bitches like them.. Make girls like me, the girls worth the time of day.. Just ughh, it's so unfair."

In the bleachers, Embry watched with Jared and the other guys while waiting on Leah to come by and get them all for the day, and apparently, he was watching Cheyenne so much that his friends filled his lap with popcorn they'd been eating as Jared groaned and said "Maneater to the left guys.. Anita Blake."

"Oh great."

"Fuck.. Does she ever NOT have a scowl on her face?" Jared asked as he watched her watching Embry, then groaned as he leaned in and whispered, "If you want your imprint happy man.. Do NOT and I repeat do NOT talk to Anita when she walks over here."

"Wasn't planning on it. I mean hey.. She's the one who embarassed me in 10th grade." Embry stated in amusement as Cheyenne finished up her dance and then the one Kim showed her.

Seconds later, Cheyenne and Kim ran into the bleachers flopping down.

"I think Anita hates us, Kim." Cheyenne warned, biting her lower lip in concern. Not that she particuarly cared if Anita hated her, she just didn't really want to cause any problems that weren't there already.. And she did tend to attract chaos, trouble and drama for the most part.. She didn't want her new friend Kim getting drawn into her messes. But it looked like thanks to her trying out for cheerleading, that now she just might be. Which of course, pissed Cheyenne off, because it seemed childish that Anita was obviously going to start trouble for them now.

"I know she hates me.. She wants Jared. She wants Embry too, actually." Kim giggled as she rolled her eyes in Anita's direction, said to her new friend, "Don't take it personal.. she's one of those girls.. the ones who think everything belongs to them when in fact it does not. And she's also loaded, spoiled, so that doesn't help either."

Embry spat his soda and asked, "Huh?" as he finally zoned back in, hearing Kim mention his name. He groaned inwardly when he realized they were discussing Anita's 'not liking either of them'. "Personally, given how big of a bitch she really is, I don't see how her not liking either of you matters." he stated as Jared filled the girls in on Embry's 'past' with ANita, then added, "But now, apparently, she wants him and thinks that naturally, she's going to get him."

"Oh she does, does she?" Cheyenne mused, looking down into the gym at a furious Anita who sat with a group of other girls, glaring up at both herself and Kim. With a giggle, she stood and said casually, "Hey girls? I've always been told that if you take a picture, it lasts longer."before sinking back down onto the bleacher and muttering, "I hate small minded girls like her."

Quil and Seth snickered as Embry muttered, "Nice one.. But let's not feed the harpies.. Somehow, don't think that hearing them get angry, those high pitched squeals would help my headache.." as he sipped a bottled water, watching her from the corner of his eyes, until she moved to sit in front of him, reaching up, rubbing his temples.

"That feels good.." he muttered, closing his eyes as she nodded and said "Best thing for a migraine, really. I mean other than a tylenol and a nap." her brows knitting in concern as she felt how almost hot his skin was beneath her fingers.

"Are you sure you're not getting sick?" she asked in concern as he said quietly, "Nope.. I'm always a little warm."

The other guys exchanged a look. Yeah, she was probably going to realize something was up soon. Just hopefully, not before Sam let Embry tell Cheyenne that she was his imprint.

They walked out of the school and from across the road, Alec glared hatefully at the 'wolf' walking beside Bella's baby sister. "Oh so he thinks he'll have her.. Well, we'll just see about that, now won't we?" he muttered to himself as he disappeared before anyone knew he'd been there.


	3. Chapter 3

Red Eyes, Dark Roses & Late Night Calls

Cheyenne felt an icy cold touch to her bare shoulder and rolled over in her bed, grasping at the sateen sheet that'd fallen away, leaving her exposed, as she was sleeping shirtless that night. She blinked when she saw the burning red eyes glowing in the dark almost. "What the fuck?" she gasped, mostly in shock.

She went to stand, to scream for her father, anything really, and that's when she realized that she couldn't move and could barely speak.. All she could do was look up at the guy, Alec, the one her sister warned her about when he'd come up to her at the wedding reception, seemingly out of nowhere.

"For you, beautiful girl." he said with an almost cold and sinister smirk as he held out the dark red roses. She was about to scream when she felt like a crushing weight was pressing down on her throat. The roses wound up in her lap and he sat down, staring at his hands a moment, before stating calmly, "You won't be able to move or scream until I'm gone. I wasn't supposed to see you.. You're not supposed to make me feel things.. I'm ice cold, that's the only way I can exist."

She tried to scream again, but he shook his head and said calmly, "For now, you listen.. You will be mine. It's not negotiable." as he looked at her, lifted the weight a moment, mentally, so she could speak.

"My sister told me all about you, so thanks but no thanks.. I'm gonna pass, Alec, if it's all the same to you.. Besides, you don't want me.. I'm not like her, I have no 'shield'."

"So you know what your sister is now?"

"We tell each other everything." Cheyenne lied as Alec chuckled and leaning in said "Tell me then, Cheyenne.. Does your precious big sister know how jealous you really are of her? I mean since you claim you two are closer than close."

The fact that she shifted away from him on her bed, a makeshift set of mattresses on the floor surrounded by some sort of lighted/lace canopy had him smirking. He'd struck paydirt, apparently, he now had a way in.

Leaning in, he trailed his finger over her lip, removing it when she snapped her teeth at it.

"If I were you, mate.. I wouldn't anger me. That weight you feel in your throat when you try to scream? The way your legs turn to rubber whenever you think you want to walk out of here? I'm doing that, and it's not the only things I can do, really.. And then there's my sister Jane.. She's right down below the window..Jealous and pouting of course, but she'll understand soon enough my connection to you. The point to this, beautiful girl, is that your blood calls out to me, as does your perpetually broken psyche. It reminds me of myself.. We're a lot more alike than you care to admit.. The only problem is that you refuse to embrace your darkness, I truly enjoy embracing mine."

He leaned in and pulled her into a rough kiss, then this cloud of thick almost black smog like mist crept up around them, rendering her unconcious, and when she sat up, ear splitting shriek echoing through the quiet nocturnal noises of the small 2 story house she lived in with her father, he was gone.

But of course, the roses remained.

She recoiled from them as if they were tiny snakes and threw them in the garbage, about the same time as not only her father, but a visiting Cullen family AND her older sister, Bella all filled her room.

"I-it was a nightmare." she explained simply as Charlie hugged her and then asked a thousand times, "Are you SURE you're okay?"

"Dad, go back to sleep. I'm fine, really. You work crazy hours, I shouldn't have screamed just now, woken you up." Cheyenne pleaded as Charlie gave her a firm second look in concern, himself personally thinking this had a lot to do with that 25 year old named Evan she'd been seeing before moving in with him, but saying nothing to her about this.

Once he was out of the room, Bella noticed the roses in the garbage and held them up, quickly calling bullshit on her baby sister. Cheyenne shut the door, making Emmett stand in front of it as she said quietly, "That guy.. Alec.. He was here and he left them.."

Edward grumbled and Alice took a few deep breaths as Bella growled to herself and Emmett and Jasper asked in unison, with Rose looking on with a raised brow, "Why are you just now mentioning this?"

"Because, I could only just now scream or let someone know something was happening.. He used some kind of mental thing on me..."

"Let me guess.. Couldn't scream because it felt like he was crushing your throat, right?" Emmett asked as Jasper focused on her, tried to calm her down as best as he could.

"Exactly.. But when I see him again, I'm going to stab first, ask questions later.. What the hell is his big fascination with me?" she asked as Emmett and Jasper shrugged and Edward grumbled then said "He wants you to be his mate."

"Yeah, how about no.. Look, you guys are cool.. But I'm not cut out for this immortal bullshit." Cheyenne admitted as she raked her hands through her hair, snuggling into her oversized t shirt, which she'd managed to slip on before her father and her 'family' came in just now.

Bella hugged her sister against her and then said quietly, " We're about to get them all, don't worry, sis.. Alice has seen some stuff that might happen.. The best thing, sis, is what she saw happening to you.. But we sort of can't really tell you.. I can tell you, if Embry Call starts acting like he likes you, don't do something stupid, freak out and run like hell.. Just trust me."

"Oh trust me.. I'm not planning on it.. I actually saw him today and I'm wondering now why in the hell I focused so much on Black, to be honest." Cheyenne admitted, blushing heavily, biting her full lower lip as she remembered all of their little 'run ins' from earlier in the day.

"Come downstairs and sleep with us." Rosalie and Alice, Bella and Esme said firmly, as Cheyenne nodded, grabbed her pillow and blanket, following the group down to the living room. They'd all stayed over for a few days, Bella insisting that she wanted to make sure her sister was going to be alright before they left for their honeymoon and potential new life in Alaska.

As soon as she'd settled in on the couch, Bella slipped out of the room and texted Embry, telling him what'd happened tonight.

And in his room, at his home, Embry growled as he tried to stop the rage building. He read the text again and asked, "She's okay, though, right? Damn it, I only JUST left her room in my wolf form."

Bella snickered as she read his reply, then asked, "So she DID sneak you in tonight after Dad went up to bed. I thought I heard her tiptoeing around."

"Mhmm. Sam said I'm not allowed to see her much. You know his rules."

"I also know my sister's in danger, so you might have to tell him where to shove those rules. Especially if this gets as out of hand as Alice has seen it getting." Bella texted as she looked over at her sister, currently sandwiched between Emmett and Jasper, because apparently, her baby sister turned the both of them into giant softies, and they were extremely protective of her. Out of her new family, if Bella had to guess, Alice and Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie were the ones that Cheyenne got on with best.. But maybe she'd eventually warm to Edward.. Bella sort of sensed that her reluctance to warm to Edward, stemmed of course, from the way Edward left her in the woods and caused her to get so depressed she basically stopped living for 5 months or so.. If not for Cheyenne's calls and video blog emails to her during those months, as well as her slight thing with Jacob Black, Bella had no doubt she'd never have really survived the time without Edward.

Embry read the text back and then asked, "What's her number?"

Bella sent him her sister's phone number, and then said "If she asks, you got it from one of the guys or Leah. I wouldn't be a good older sister though, if I weren't meddling in her life for her own good." as she shut her phone, settling in. They all had an early flight out in the morning and Cheyenne had school.

If she didn't stay up all night texting a certain shifter, Bella thought to herself, smiling in the dark.

Cheyenne glared at her cell phone when it lit up, revealing a text message. Then she saw the number.

"How the heck did he get my number?" she muttered to herself as she stretched, stood and took the call outside on the patio.

Embry answered on the second ring, laughing as he asked "Didn't wake you up, right?"

"Nope.. That honor goes to le asshole who is apparently going to stalk me now. I swear.. This guy and my ex.. I really manage to get myself into some seriously messed up shit."

Embry looked at the phone in concern, couldn't stop himself from thinking that he loved how her voice sounded when it was still tinged with sleep. "You okay?"

"Just thinking, Embry.. How'd you get my number.. I mean not that I'm mad, because believe me, I'm thrilled you called me.. "

"Got it from Seth." Embry said as he rolled onto his back and asked, "So, do you think you're gonna like living here? I mean, I know I'm happy you moved back."

"me too, actually." Cheyenne admitted, smiling, twisting her finger into her hair, biting her lower lip as she said quietly, "Actually, I missed you."

"Really.. Hmm." Embry said as he heard his mom waking up, in nagging mode. They argued a lot lately. "Gotta go.. Mom heard me on the phone."

"Embry, don't get in trouble because of me."

"But I wanted to." he chuckled as he hung up and rolled over, drifting back off to sleep.

"At least I imprinted on the girl I've always sort of been in love with.. Now if only Sam hurries the hell up with this seperation bullshit." he mused to himself.. But hey, they WERE in the same school, and Uley couldn't control everything, contrary to what he thought...


	4. Chapter 4

Jealousy & Angst & Another Close Call

For the better part of nearly 2 weeks now, Embry had been acting strangely. He'd call her, he'd be all sweet to her on the phone, but if he happened to see her at school, he'd avoid her, it seemed. Which wouldn't be such a bad thing if Cheyenne weren't finally starting to realize how she'd really felt about him when they were younger, and if she didn't spend every waking moment thinking about him.

"I just don't get it, Kim, is all. I mean you can call me, but you stop even getting a ride to school with Leah, because I'm in the car? Makes no freaking sense, really. And then earlier, Anita was all over him. In front of me. Ughh, shit, I'm just so confused and mad right now, Kim.. I mean it's mixed signals. I'm still not seeing how he likes me like you and Jojo claim." Cheyenne ranted as she lightly punched a locker, only to realize that she'd put a little too much effort in the punch, and it actually did hurt to hit bare fists on metal.

"Well you know how shy he is." Kim lied, not sure how to tell her best friend the truth about what was going on currently. She'd been in the dark about Jared too at first, until Sam finally allowed Jared to tell her, show her what he could do, and explain how important she was to him. She also knew that if Cheyenne gave up, then Embry didn't stand a snowballs chance in hell of getting her to change her mind, because Cheyenne was that stubborn. And she'd been hurt a lot, been through a lot and at the end of the day, she wasn't a very confident person, though her outgoing and wild nature might prove otherwise to the outside world around her.

She held back and hid a lot.

"Ouch, stupid. Why'd you punch it like that?"  
"Because right now, girls, I'm mad as hell, okay? I mean if this were Jared or that Brady guy you're seeing now, Jojo.. You'd feel the same way."

"Don't remind me." Jojo muttered, sharing a look with Kim. If they told her what was going on, she'd either laugh her ass off and accuse them of trying to keep her from giving up, or she'd not believe them. And if she gave up..

"So, changing the subject.. Are you guys going to that 50's dance?"

"Are you?" Kim asked as they looked at her, then said in unison, "Dress shopping. There's something to do later. We could all use a little retail therapy." as they looked at Cheyenne who was currently glaring a hole through the back of an unsuspecting Anita Blake's head. "God I really, really do not like that girl." she muttered as she watched Anita flirting with Embry, the jealousy coursing through her veins quite freely at this point.

Maybe he was trying to show her he only wanted her as a friend, and he was into Anita. She raked her hand through her long dark hair as she said quietly, "Yeah. I'm gonna go alone, it's usually more fun that way anyway. We should totally go dress shopping later. There's this awesome vintage store in the mall, I bet it has killer dresses."

"So this afternoon?" Kim asked as she snapped her fingers in front of Cheyenne's face, forcing her back into the conversation and not glaring daggers at Anita and Embry.

"Yeah, this afternoon, totally." Cheyenne muttered as she said quietly, "I'm gonna go outside while you guys eat. I'm just suddenly not that damn hungry anymore. Lost my appetite." as she walked out past Embry and Anita, giving Anita a firm shove on her way, slamming the double doors to the cafeteria behind her.

Embry groaned inwardly as he saw her give him a very hurt and confused look, then shake her head quietly, as she walked past. He grumbled under his breath and then turned to Anita, saying loudly, "Here's a good idea, Anita, why don't you get lost? You're only even over here because.. I don't know why, but I wish to God you'd leave me alone."

Several girls passing by heard the almost verbatim repeat of what she'd told him a few years before and started snickering as they started whispering about it, one of them even pointing out how pathetic Anita looked at this point the way she chased after Jared and Embry almost daily. Kim grumbled as she also tried not to fall over laughing. If Cheyenne had SEEN that, maybe she wouldn't be giving up right now. Granted, Kim had gotten to know Cheyenne Swan quite well, and knew that she wasn't as confident as she let everyone think she was, that she'd been hurt a lot, she'd been through a lot that not many even really knew about..

Cheyenne flopped down beneath the tree in the courtyard of the school, slid out her book, slid down her shades and slid in her headphones. Although it wasn't really appealing, she devoted herself to forcing herself to be sucked into the book in her hands, 50 Shades Of Gray. But then she heard the familiar and quiet voice from the woods and she looked up, saw him lingering there, just at the treeline.

"Maybe my sister's wrong about him." she muttered to herself momentarily before mentally reminding herself that he was a whackjob, he'd broken into her room and watched her sleep, he'd scared the living hell out of her from the second she'd met him, Alec Volturi had.

But curiousity did kill the cat, and before she realized what she was doing, she was drifting towards the bushes, hissing at him, "Get fucking bent already."

"But you obviously want me here." Alec teased, hiding a smirk as he held out a few simple and hand picked wildflowers. When she'd looked less than impressed with the roses, he'd taken a gamble and this time, he'd personally picked the damn disgusting and simple weeds in his hands for her. She looked at him with a brow raised as she took the flowers and then said calmly, "Can you please just leave me alone?"

"I would, if it were possible, but no, I'm afraid I can't do that, Cheyenne. Remember what I promised? Remember what I told you that night I saw you at your sister's reception?" he asked, eyeing her. He could tell she was upset about something, her eyes weren't sparkling today, they were dull. If he had any sort of emotions other than anger and jealousy, hatred, he'd almost say he felt upset because she was hurt, but he didn't. So he felt nothing.

"Yeah.. But if it's all the same to you, Volturi, I'm not looking to become one of the undead. So I can't.. Just go, okay? Leave me alone. Besides, I'm not good enough, you'd get bored like.."

"That joke of a guy.. What's his name?" Alec grumbled as he looked at her and said pointedly, "He's not good enough."

"And you're not ever going to be the guy I want, so.. Scram now, go find someone else to torment." Cheyenne said sharply, as she pointed him away. He looked at her and then said "I just offered you the easy way.. But apparently you want to do this the hard way. Soon you will belong to me. Whether you want to or not."

He disappeared, leaving her holding the flowers, her hand in her thick hair, staring into the woods, wondering why he just couldn't get it. She made it quite plain, she thought.  
She gathered her books at the ringing of the bell and turned to walk back into the building, being met by Embry, who looked at the flowers in her hand, gave her a strange look as she walked past him, avoiding his gaze. He grabbed her elbow and then tried to stop her, and she looked at him and said quietly, "Don't.. Just don't even.. I mean you call me, you're so sweet to me when we're not here.. We come to school or see one another out in public, you run the other direction. I thought you were different.." as she sighed, shook her head and tore her elbow away, slinking off down the hallway.

Jared spoke up as he said calmly, "Kim said she's dangerously close to just giving up. Sam still won't let you just tell her?"

"No, but he's gonna have to, because I swear to God, I smelled vamp on her just now. And she got those flowers from somewhere." Embry muttered quietly as his stomach churned nervously. Jared grumbled as he said "You think her little nightly visitor just did something stupid and made himself seen during the day?"

"He had to have." Embry said quietly as he added, "And if Sam thinks for one second I'm just gonna stand back and let her think she's nothing to me, let her get hurt by that fucking leech, he's in for a really, really rude awakening."

Cheyenne slid into the desk in their class a few minutes later, but instead of at least giving him a hurt look, she stared straight ahead. He tried getting Kim to pass her a note, but she balled it up and shoved it in her pocket. When he hissed her name, she shoved her earbud in, turned Metallica up so loudly that it could be heard faintly by him 2 rows over.

She hated doing this, but she wasn't going to let him lead her around by her nose either, being one way over a phone, and ice cold almost, in person. A few minutes ago, in the hallway had been the most fire he'd shown since he'd started avoiding her not so long ago.

The bell rang and she was gone from her seat and into her next class before he could even get halfway out the door after her. He growled, swearing. This afternoon, he was going to have a serious talk with Sam. Kim sighed as she said "If you want me to help, Embry, just ask.. Maybe if Sam hears some of the stuff she's went through already, why she is this way, and what could happen if she does give up, and about this Alec jerk.."

"Can you? Because he's so fucking stubborn.." Embry asked as Kim nodded and said "Gladly."

The rest of the day, he spent mostly watching the clock, watching her avoiding him now. He found himself laughing at one point when some jerk of a guy named Will tried to hit on her and she basically told him off, writing him off as a 'scrub', before putting her hand in his face, shoving past him in the hallway. Embry stepped out from the locker and in front of her, stopping her.

"Move, Embry."

"Do you want me to get him?"

"Not really, no." Cheyenne said quietly, eyes darting around the hallway for an escape route. Even being this close to him, even after he'd basically confused the hell out of her by calling at night and being himself, and avoiding her like the plague at school, she still felt these urges, these unexplainable feelings towards him. It made her angry. Just this one time, she couldn't shove something out of her mind, out of her heart, before she got hurt again like every single other time before now.

"He was being an asshole though." Embry said as he looked at her, watched her going into retreat mode. If she did this, Alec might just get to her, the guy could be nothing short of a master manipulator if he really tried. And Embry wanted nothing more than to just tell her what was going on, why he had to act the way he did for now, but he really couldn't..

He could, but first, he was going to confront Sam about the stupidity of this stupid rule of his where the imprints were concerned. Just because he was clearly an idiot didn't mean they'd ALL hurt the imprints like he had, Emily.

"Most guys are. Point?" Cheyenne asked quietly, biting her lower lip, wincing at the harshness in her tone.. This whole thing was killing her, but it was self preservation really, it was to make damn sure she did not get hurt again. If she stopped herself from totally falling now, she wouldn't be hurting later.

"Ouch.. Yeah, I deserved that.. Look, it's not what you think it is, I ..." Embry trailed off as she stared behind him, her eyes widening almost as big as saucers as she paled all over. "I gotta.. I gotta go. Like, away, out of here, now." she muttered as she ran off, and then out of the set of doors on the end of the hall they stood in.

"What the hell was that about?" he asked, as Jared and Paul tapped him and nodded their heads in the direction of a stranger standing in the hallway, looking around with vague disinterest as if he were trying to find someone.

Seth growled and said "And that jackass would be Evan.. Who is too damn old to be in school, but apparently, he thinks the rules well, anywhere really, do not apply to him. Now I see why she freaked out.."

"is it just me, or does it look like his elevator doesn't go all the way to the top, mentally?" Kim asked as Jared said quietly, "Nope, I noticed too.. Think Charlie knows?"

"If not, he's about to, because I'm gonna go text Bella. She'll tell him." Embry muttered as he took off to send a warning text to Cheyenne's older sister, Bella.

Outside in the parking lot, she heard Evan calling her name, he sounded drunk, typical, of course.. And then, she turned to find Alec standing at the edge of the woods. To the front of her, was the school, and then there was the road.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." she grumbled as she paced, feeling caged in now more than she ever had in her entire life. "What the fuck, seriously? You couldn't just space out this crap, maybe?" she muttered as she cast her eyes up to a cloudless and sunny sky, grumbling.

If she went through the woods, she was vamp chow.

If she went in the direction Evan was, he'd do god only knew what to her for leaving him in the first place.

And if she went back inside, she'd only be safe for another hour or two tops, because she was not riding home with Leah and Seth tonight.. Embry was their friend first, she wasn't going to make him keep sacrificing just to avoid her like he so obviously wanted to lately.

"Fuck it." she grumbled as she ran around the back of the building and made a break for the football field.. If she got to the street without either male seeing her, or heaven forbid, a teacher... She was as good as home..

If she got caught by anyone, she was, well, for lack of a better word, she was completely and totally fucked.

Before she could make the fence, she felt a hand on her arm. From behind her, Embry said quietly, "Just come back inside."

"Leave me alone."

"Nope, not gonna happen." Embry said firmly as he lifted her like she weighed nothing, careful not to expose her ass in the mini skirt she wore, lest he have to fight off anyone who might accidentally decide to be a wiseguy and make a remark or something about her. He carried her back inside, stood her on her own two feet as he paced in front of her nervously.

"Hell with it.. Worst she can do is slap the hell out of me." he muttered before pinning her against a wall safely out of sight and pulling her into a deep kiss as he looked at her. Cheyenne tried her best to fight the kiss, even shoving at him, which lead to her hands gripping the polo shirt he had on today as she groaned, mentally kicking herself. She stopped the kiss however and then said calmly, "What the fuck was that for?"

"Because, Cheyenne, it was the only way to keep you from having one of your anger fits. It worked, didn't it?" he asked quietly, cheeks red, this wasn't normal for the shy and much taller male.

"That kiss.. It still doesn't change you avoiding me. You can't just keep being Jekyll and Hyde, Embry, it doesn't work like that." Cheyenne informed him as she added as a quiet after thought, "Thanks.. For getting me back inside." before ducking under his arm, slinking into the girls bathroom where she promptly slid down onto the floor, put her head on her knees.

"Today is one of those days I clearly should NOT have gotten out of bed." she murmured to herself as she stood and smoothed her hand over the denim mini skirt, reapplied her makeup before setting off for her gym class, the last class of the day for her.

And through the entire class, she couldn't get the unusually dominant nature with which he'd grabbed her, pinned her in and kissed her like that in the hallway, out of her head. Which really, really frustrated her.


	5. Chapter 5

A Talk With Sam & A Really Close Call

The second Leah's car stopped in the driveway of Sam Uley, Embry practically jumped out, angry, ready to have this little war of words with Sam that'd been building for a while now, since he'd imprinted on Cheyenne, but was 'banned' from seeing her, so he wouldn't hurt her.

The door flew open and he walked inside, flopped into one of the ladderback chairs as he said "This shit ends, Sam."

"It ends soon, Embry. Unless there's a problem?" Sam asked, looking at the teenage boy in concern. Jared spoke up from behind his best friend and said "If you don't let him do something, Sam, Embry just might lose her. At least that's what Kim's saying she thinks."

"And I don't care what you tell me, Uley, I'm going to at least see her. One way or another." Embry insisted as Sam sighed and then asked, "What does Kim mean about Embry losing her? How would she know?"

"Because, Sam, Kim happens to be best friends with Cheyenne. And she's told me a lot of things that Cheyenne went through while living with her mother." Embry explained. The door's opening again had him looking up, alert, as his nose filled with her scent.

Cheyenne glared at Kim and then said stiffly, "I'll be in the car. God forbid he have to run because I'm here or something." before storming out, flopping into the passenger seat. She rested her head against the window, swearing at herself for being such a drama queen just now, not realizing that she'd only just HELPED Embry prove the point he'd been trying to make Sam see.

Kim sighed as she said "Do you see, Sam, why he has to tell her now? If he's not able to, he's gonna lose her. And it won't matter what he says or does when he finally does get to see her whenever he wants. It's starting not to now."

Sam looked at Embry, then peeked out the window, sighed as he saw the girl pacing the porch, hand in her hair, stopping occasionally to stare out into the woods across the road. When he followed her gaze, he growled and then said simply, "So Alec is following her."

"Umm, yes. This is another damn good reason that I can't do this seperation thing. I mean in all fairness, she was really, really pushing me today, Sam, and I didn't get angry and phase."

Outside the Uley house, Cheyenne glared as she looked up, saw Alec staring at her from the woods across the street. And like an idiot, she got out of the car, only after popping her friend's trunk and grabbing a two way tire tool. Right now, she paced the porch, looking at the woods across the street. She growled as she caught sight of the red eyes and then said "Fuck it. It's not like anyone's gonna protect me but me.." as she took off down the stairs and across the road, every intention of bashing Alec's head in, ending this entire daunting game between him, with her.

But just as she got halfway across the street, he vanished and the house's front door opened. Kim grumbled as she saw Cheyenne standing in the middle of the road, glaring hatefully at the trees in the woods across the street. The honking of a fast approaching horn had her friend scrambling back out of the road, then into the passenger seat, obviously shaken up by whatever she'd seen while Kim had been inside.

Then Cheyenne realized the backseat wasn't empty and Embry and Jared sat there, talking loudly to one another.

"Just take me home, Kim.. I don't wanna be a tag along or something." Cheyenne said as she leaned against the glass of the passenger side window, purposely NOT looking at Embry. There was just no way in hell she was going to let him keep doing what he'd been doing, being sweet, even flirty with her over the phone, while ignoring her at school or avoiding her altogether.

"Why?"

"Because, Kim, you probably wanna spend time with Jared, who obviously wants to spend time with Embry. And it's not fair if I go, because then he's only gonna be miserable the whole damn time, trying to avoid me. Besides, I'd just rather go home. It's been one hell of a day, and I want nothing more than to soak in a long hot bath."

"If you're sure..." Kim said as she looked at Embry who was shaking his head no in the rearview. Sam had just finally given him the okay, they'd all pretty much proven that he was doing really, really well with his controlling things.

Embry grumbled and then Cheyenne said quietly, "Yeah. I wouldn't be much company anyway." while twisting a strand of her hair around her fingertips, biting her lower lip. Her father's house couldn't come into view any sooner than it did, and the second Kim pulled into her driveway, she was out of the car as if launched by a rocket.

And she didn't look back as she slammed the front door shut, locked it, then checked the food and water in bowls on the patio. She frowned a little when she realized that her 'nightly visitor' hadn't shown up yet, then smiled a little.. Maybe he'd show up in a little bit. It wasn't quite dark yet.

Putting some techno music on in the living room, she danced around the living room of the house, cleaning it up.

Embry stared at the back of the house as he took a deep breath and phased into wolf form. Now, apparently, it looked like this might be the only way he'd get to see her. Despite Sam's lifting the 'ban', she'd apparently decided to give up.

Linkin Park blared from the house, he could faintly hear it with his enhanced hearing and as he approached the door, the door opened and she sat down in the doorway, sipping a beer she'd probably snuck out of her father's fridge. She held her arm around her knees as she bit her lower lip, fixed her eyes on the woods.. If that red eyed bastard showed up tonight, she might not kill him, but she'd damn sure make sure he felt some form of pain.

She sighed as she hit her head against her knee gently, muttering aloud, "How the hell could I have been so freaking stupid? I mean seriously.. All guys are the same."

The whining and a cold wet nose at her hand, nudging the aluminum can free, spilling it's contents onto the floor of the patio had her looking up, managing a smile as she said "There you are. I'm glad you came by." hugging against him, sliding her arm around his neck.

The sun was sinking lower in the sky, turning it orange and purple, dusky shades of pink and she sighed as she said aloud, "I'm so stupid."

**'No you're not. I shouldn't have listened to Sam.' **he thought as he nuzzled his nose against her, trying to communicate this to her, somehow. She couldn't be just giving up. He hoped not. She leaned her head against his and then said quietly, "There's this guy.. I thought he really liked me, at least as much as I like him.. But he acts one way on the phone, and completely different in person. I get the feeling there's something to it, but ..."

She sighed and looked at the woods a moment before muttering, "Ahh, fuck it. He was too good for me anyway. I'm a hot mess. I'm supposed to be here, getting my head on straight. Apparently, sneaking out and coming home rip roaring drunk isn't tolerated with my mom.. And neither is running away for two days, either.. But if I'd told them why I had to leave for two days.. They wouldn't have believed me. Now Evan's here again.. And then there's this really, really fucking creepy red eyed vampire guy, Alec.."

Embry listened intently. Everything she was telling him was probably more than she'd ever told him when he was in his human form, when they were on the phone late at night. He hadn't known what she'd done to get sent to Charlie's to live in the first place, really..

"Point being, I'm fucking terrified right now.. Of everything. Basically, I just feel like the walls are closing in, and all of my mistakes are about to bite me where Evan's concerned, unless of course, that Alec jerk actually gets his hands on me.. And then there's Embry... I'd only fuck things up, there. God knows I'm good at screwing up everything. I mean look at the mess I got myself into just to get away from Evan in the first place. I hated purposely doing bad things, but I was afraid that dad might not want me here, if I didn't just make it so that Mom had no other choice but to send me here.. As long as I can remember, he and my sister have always been so close.. And when I was little, it just sort of started to sink in that maybe she was the better one of us. That's horrible to say, but it's just the way I feel. And no matter how much anyone tells me otherwise, I can't stop myself from thinking all this stuff.." she muttered as she stared at the wolf a little, hugging herself against it, he was always so warm, his fur was so soft and it felt better just to get all this out, even if it made little to no sense, given the fact that she was slightly buzzed at the moment. She honestly felt like the wolf was sitting there, listening to her.

Metallica drifted out the open doorway and she leaned her head back against the frame as she took a few deep breaths and then said quietly, "I'm not running this time. From Evan, I mean. It's only gonna be pointless, he'll find me somehow. I'll tell my dad when he gets home.. But I'm starting to wonder if maybe my sister wasn't wrong about Alec? I mean she was waaaay off about Embry, her advice there."

She gave a bitter laugh as she sighed and then said "Classic, right? Finally actually fall hard enough for a guy to let him in, tell him shit I tell nobody else, except you, of course, Wolverine.. And he can't even stand to be in the same room with me."

**"What did Bella tell her about me?" **Embry wondered as he nuzzled against her, using his nose to make her look at him. When she did, he licked her face as he thought to himself, **'You can't be giving up. Alec IS every bit the guy your sister told you he was. '**

A sudden noise from upstairs, just as the song Seek & Destroy began to play had her swearing and jumping up. Embry's wolf form sniffed the air and growled, putting himself between her and the doorway to the patio, but she moved past him as she said "No, Wolverine. I.. I don't want you getting hurt. This is my damn mess." as she grabbed a wooden baseball bat and called up the stairs, "Evan if that's you up there, you son of a fucking bitch, I hope you're ready to finally have that one fight that ends your fascination with me."

Before she could actually get up the stairs, however, the faint smell of decay filled her nose and a voice from behind her said calmly, "Not Evan.. But that idiot is useful. How else do you think I've been getting in every night? Excellent at breaking and entering. Tell me, mate.. Do you just make a habit of dating wannabe career criminals?"

She tried to scream, the sensation of her throat being crushed hit her before she could. But before that could go any farther, a growl filled the air and the wolf lunged at Alec who rolled his eyes, held out his hand as the mist filled the room again.

"Getting your mutt to do your dirty work, Cheyenne? Now I thought you were braver than that."

"Don't fucking touch him, Alec." she gasped out before falling to the floor, lack of proper breathing, thanks to Alec's taking her ability to breathe and speak.

Embry attacked him in wolf form for a good 3 to 4 minutes before the remainder of the pack showed up. Realizing he was outnumbered, Alec vanished and Embry phased back to his human form, turned to where Cheyenne lie on the floor, where Alec tossed her at one point when she'd fallen and tried to get back up, attack him with a lamp from a table nearby.

"She's out cold." Embry growled as he picked her up and then said "Anyone know where the keys to her sister's old truck are?"

Leah rummaged around and then said "Probably up in her room." as she ran up, found them. Embry loaded her into the truck, carefully, resting her head on his lap as he held a rag to one side of her forehead, where she must have knicked the table on her way down that last time.

"Damn it, Cheyenne." he muttered as he looked down at her and then said quietly, "Don't go to sleep." trying to get her to talk to him, say anything. She sat up, gasping, her hand going to her throat as she looked around in fear. "Where the fuck are you taking me?" she asked, moving to the farthest point in the truck away from him.

"To the emergency room. I came by to talk to you, to ask if you wanted to come with me and Kim, Jared to the mall, and I found you on the floor, Alec was standing over you. After we fought, I loaded you into the truck." Embry explained calmly, wondering if she would remember that the wolf had been there, and it'd have taken Embry too long to have possibly done all that just now, had he been with Kim and Jared, like she thought when she got out.

"You don't have to stay. I get that you don't like me. Just call my dad or something, you can get back to whatever." she muttered dully as she looked out the window, wincing at her headache. Something about his entire story was off, but she wasn't in a sharp enough frame of mind to really question what he told her. Besides, what she was thinking wasn't logically possible, it'd be like something out of a movie, if it were true.

Because she distinctly remembered it being her and the wolf... And if Embry really had been coming back to do that, he'd have shown up at the same time as the wolf.

She reached out and turned on her radio, wincing as the heavy metal song echoed through the cab. "My head feels like it got kicked in." she said quietly as she leaned back in the seat, trained her eyes on the ceiling. "Are you alright, I mean other than that?"

"Yeah.. Hey, when you got there.. You didn't see a large gray wolf... Did you?" she asked as her stomach churned. The wolf better not have gotten hurt in all of this, or she was personally finding some way to take out Alec herself next time she saw the guy.

"Nope." Embry said as he asked, "Why?"

"Because, nevermind.. It's almost as crazy as a vampire wanting to turn me so I can be his bride or whatever." she said rubbing her head, wincing. She took out her cell phone, called her father, explained what'd just happened, explained that luckily, Embry happened to show up before Alec made off with her.

He helped her into the emergency room, though she kept herself stiff against him and wouldn't really look at him as they sat there. Finally, she asked quietly, "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why come back? I mean you've done a pretty damn good job at making sure I know that you're not interested in me. So why come back to see if I wanted to come with you guys.. And where are Jared and Kim?"

"They went on. I went back home.. Was gonna come over and get you, then meet them in the food court or something.. And you're wrong, Cheyenne. I don't hate you. I'm not purposely acting two different ways to hurt or confuse you."

"Right.. Because that's not what you've been doing for the past two almost 3 weeks now." Cheyenne muttered as the nurse poked her head out, called out her name, motioning her back. She stood and said "If you wanna go, you can.. My dad's on his way. I'm not gonna make you stick around, you've probably got better shit to do."

He stood, walked in with her, mostly helping her in, because apparently, when she'd tried to save his wolf form during the little fight earlier, she'd twisted her ankle trying to lunge over the back of a sofa and onto Alec's shoulders with the lamp she intended to hit him in the skull with to stop him from hurting the wolf.

He steadied her and helped her up onto the exam table, the nurse looking at her as she asked an endless series of questions, which Charlie came in on the middle of and then asked, "Both of you are okay, right?"

"Yeah, but if I see that jerk again, Dad, I'm gonna make sure he doesn't walk away from it. He attacked Wolverine, or tried to! If I hadn't dove at him, missed and fallen on the floor like an idiot.." Cheyenne said quietly as Charlie hugged her while grumbling, "You should not have been in that house alone anyway. I thought you were going dress shopping."

"I wasn't.. I changed my mind. I was tired, dad." Cheyenne said quietly as she looked at Embry and said quietly, "If he hadn't shown up.. I just don't even want to think about what that prick would have done.. Are you SURE you're alright, Embry?"

"I'm fine. Seriously, he barely got his hands on me."

Then she noticed the gashes along Embry's shoulders and said "Bullshit, Call. Get on this cot, now." as she tugged the nurses sleeve and said calmly, "My friend apparently not only resembles the Hulk in stature, but he thinks he IS the Hulk. Can you look at those gashes?"

She had a passing thought about having clearly remembered seeing Alec gash the wolf on the same side of their body as the side Embry's gashes were on, but she shoved it out. Because there was no way it was possible. It was a stretch for her to even admit to vampires being real.

But then she thought about all the legends of the tribe she'd heard as a kid from Billy or Harry.. There was lore in their tribe about shifters existing to protect people and animals, the forest, their mates.. She bit her lower lip and then grumbled, "If I had a cigarette right now, I think I'd take the habit up."

"No way." Charlie said sternly as he asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, dad.. Just thinking. What about it, Nurse.. Is Hulk concussed?" Cheyenne asked as she eyed Embry, certain things sort of sticking out about his story, not making sense. There is no way in hell, even if he had made Jared and Kim turn around after dropping her off, that he'd make it to her father's that quickly.

Embry gave her a look as he asked, "Why the Hulk?"

"Because you're quiet, and you're really, really tall and muscular." Cheyenne said as she tapped her foot, waited on the nurse to finish disinfecting the wounds to Embry's shoulder. "I could kick your ass, Call.. I clearly had that." she said calmly as Embry looked at her and said calmly, "Right, that's why you grabbed a lamp to try and hit him over the head with it."

"Touche."

The three of them walked out of the er, Cheyenne balancing between Embry and Charlie. She slid into the passenger seat of the truck, let Embry drive her home. About halfway there, she asked him quietly, "If you're not purposely trying to avoid me, why have you been?"

"I can't really tell you that right now.. But I will as soon as I can, I promise.. I don't have to avoid you anymore." Embry said as he looked at her and then leaned across while the light was red, brushed some hair out of her eyes, wincing as he looked at the 2 small stitches on her forehead.

"Thanks for showing up tonight.." she ventured cautiously as the truck came to a stop in the driveway and they got out. She hesitantly kissed his cheek before her father took him home, claiming that it was the 'least he could do' for saving Cheyenne's life earlier, probably literally.

Once the two males were in the car, Charlie asked Embry quietly, "Just humor me here, Embry.."

"Sir?"

"This wolf that's been showing up at the house.. You wouldn't know anything about that, maybe?" Charlie asked as he fixed his eyes on the teenage boy. Embry bit his lip as he sighed and said calmly, "Yeah, I would.. Because it happens to be me.. Sam wasn't exactly letting me see her, afraid I'd lose it and hurt her, so I was having to see her like that.. How'd you figure it..."

"Because I just sort of figured it had to be one of you guys. I mean after Jacob told me..About there being a pack of wolves.."

"That Evan guy's here." Embry blurted as Charlie looked at him and smirking said "Yeah.. Caught him breaking into another house this afternoon. I got the satisfaction of making that arrest." before adding, "Just keep trying with her, Embry.. She's not giving up yet. She acts like it." while he watched the road, driving Embry home.

"Why's she do that?"

"For some reason, Embry, she's gotten it into her head that she's nothing but a walking disaster. That's according to her brother in law's incessant poking around in her head.. And then there's the fact that she's afraid of being hurt. Once you've been through something like I think she went through because of Evan.. It's hard to get past it."

"So it was that bad?"

"She has nighmares. I don't say anything to her about them, but I hear them. I walk past her room and stand in the doorway, wondering what the hell I do as a father to make her see she's nothing like she sees herself." Charlie admitted as he added quietly, "I wake her up, she plays it down, says it's one of any of the number of horror shows she watched, but I'm pretty sure it's not."

Embry nodded and then said quietly, "I'm not gonna give up.. I just have to figure out how in the hell to fix things.. Thanks, sir.."

" I like you, kid.. Don't make me regret it." Charlie warned, smiling as he let Embry get out of the car, then drove off. When he got home, he realized that she'd fallen asleep on the couch, Seth and Leah and Sue were there with her, so she'd stayed when he took Embry home.

"I think I'm gonna let her sleep there." he said quietly as he covered her up with an old blanket he hadn't seen her use since her childhood, one that had pretty much the entire Avengers squad on it, her favorite comic characters. Sue nodded and said quietly, "It's for the best. She looks like she's finally getting a decent sleep." before giving him a kiss and waiting on Leah and Seth to follow her, leaving shortly after.

As she slept, Cheyenne puzzled over the whole thing from earlier, the inconsistencies in Embry's story, the gashes, everything.. She tossed and turned and wondered if he were being serious when he said that he wasn't trying to hurt her by avoiding her, that he had to, he'd been forced to.

Something deep down inside of her was insisting she fight, not let him just go like she was trying to before tonight. After all, he had come back, he had saved her life tonight. The guy deserved a little more fight on her end... And she couldn't make herself NOT be falling for him, she'd already tried.

The kiss from earlier back at school also had her wondering if maybe this whole thing weren't just some huge and epic misunderstanding.


	6. Chapter 6

The Hunted Turns Into The Hunter.. Sort Of

(A/N: I realize that the below chapter is slightly out there. But logically, this is the way my original character would react to being stalked by not only her ex, but a vampire. And I wanted to do some kind of 'action' scene in here, so this is what came to mind. I hope you guys like it, I really, really tried to make it realistic. Also, I wanna thank Lightbabe for the reviews, I'm so glad you like the story! )

She stood in the doorway, watching her father and her new brother in law, Edward, fixing the window in her room. "He's just gonna fuckin break it again. I'm telling you guys, just let me get my hands on the guy, one damn time. I'm so sick of this shit, I'm nearly ready to snap."

Bella groaned inwardly. Her sister hadn't ever been the back down type, that's what scared her most about Cheyenne, really, her confrontational persona. She grabbed her sister by the elbow and then dragged her down the hallway, sitting them both down in the den on one of the couches as she said calmly, "This isn't another Evan, sis. This guy is powerful. Just stabbing him or having him arrested? It's not going to work."

"Yeah? Well I'm not just gonna sit here and wait for some guy to ride to my rescue, either, sis.. Remember? I'm the ugly one, the less important one.. I don't get that fucking luxury." Cheyenne pointed out as Bella growled, shook her sister as she grabbed her firmly by the shoulders and said again, "What is it with you and that? I mean you say it all the time, it's starting to make me wonder if you really don't believe it."

"I do, actually.. And for the record, sis, if you hadn't maybe bought these kinds of people into our lives.. Just saying."

Upstairs, Charlie groaned inwardly as he heard the telltale signs of a sister on sister fight happening downstairs. Emmett poked his head out into the hallway and said "Do you want me and Jasper to go seperate 'em?"

"Please? They won't stop until someone does." Charlie grumbled as he turned to Edward and said "Sometimes, it was like being the father to two very tempermental sons."

Edward chuckled a little and then said "It surprised me, the first time I met her sister.. They're complete opposites. They normally get along pretty well, right?"

"Yeah, Cheyenne's just got a short fuse, as does Bella. The only thing with Bella, is it takes more time to actually LIGHT said fuse. With Cheyenne, it's like, one wrong move, the fuse is lit an the fire's raging."

"Yikes." Edward said as downstairs, Emmett and Jasper worked on getting the sisters split up, Emmett finally saying, "I've got Sparky, you get Bella."

"No need, Cullen. I'm going for a walk." Cheyenne said as she stood, slid on her jacket, grabbed her crutch and limped out the door angrily, kicking the garbage bin on the curb of the sidewalk with her good foot, making Jasper and Emmett and Rosalie, Alice all exchange looks while trying not to laugh.

Cheyenne slid the knife out of her pocket and then limped towards the woods, standing in a clearing as she called out, "Hey Volturi.." while turning around, anticipating what direction he'd show up from, knife raised. What she wasn't expecting was the dark haired older male who stood in front of her, staring at her as if she were some sort of side show freak.

She probably did look like it, the way her heavy eyeliner was after having fallen asleep in it the night before, or her combat boots, black and red plaid mini skirt and fitted Disturbed shirt. Or the scowl on her face.

"You were expecting, Alec, correct?" Aro guessed, walking around her, watching as she swung the knife, each time with him dodging it, using his speed.

Back at her house, Bella groaned when she spotted the black covered Iphone lying on the counter, with a knife missing from the slot in the knife holder on the kitchen counter. "Damn it." she growled as she explained what she thought was happening to the Cullens and her dad.

"How long ago did she storm out?" Charlie asked, thinking, or hoping rather that his youngest had just stormed out to clear her head, taken the knife for protection. Then again, given her temper, the way she'd been pushed and pulled recently, between her violent ex boyfriend Evan, and Alec Volturi...

Anything was possible.

"About 10 minutes ago." Bella said as they heard screaming from the woods behind the house, everyone looking at one another as Charlie grumbled and then ran back inside, grabbing the gun from the closet. "Let's go find her, now.. If she's out there doing what I hope to hell she's not.."

"You won't strangle her if I get my hands on her first, dad." Bella informed him as they started towards the woods as a group, splitting into smaller teams of two and three.

Aro chuckled as he looked at the surly teenage girl with heavily lined eyes that stood in front of him. "Well look at you.. I can sort of see what drew Alec to you.. But I am fascinated.. I can't really read your thoughts.."

"And you're not touching me to read 'em either. I'm not stupid. Aro, right? The bastard who has to touch others to tap into their inner thoughts? Yeah, doubt you'd like kicking around in my disgustingly dark little mind." Cheyenne smirked as she swung the knife again, he ducked, again, and then lunged at her. She moved out of the way, side stepping, and then took off at a run, laughing as she said "Hey Aro.. If you want me, buddy, come find me.. You might be fast, you fucking mosquito.. But I grew up in these woods. I get lost out here? I can live for days."

Behind the house, Bella called her sister's name, yelling as an afterthought, "This isn't funny, sis." She groaned when she found the crutch discarded near an entry trail that lead into the woods behind the house, found her sister's leather jacket lying beside it.

She checked the pockets.. Given her sister's penchant for fighting, and fighting dirty, especially when she felt like she was in a corner or her back was against a wall, she was hoping against all hope that her baby sister hadn't finally just snapped given all of the stress she'd been under lately.

She bit her lower lip and paled when she felt the pocket her sister kept a pair of brass knuckles in empty. Then she turned and called out to her father, her husband and her brother in laws, "Guys? I have a really, really bad feeling.. Please tell me you still have Billy's number, dad.."

"What's wrong?" Charlie asked as she held up the jacket, the crutch and then said "Those little brass knuckles she keeps in the pocket and the can of mase are gone.. There was also a lighter in the other pocket, it was Grandpa's old one, remember, the silver one with the initials engraved? It's gone too."

Charlie groaned as he took out his cell phone and dialed Billy's home number, then Embry's.. If anyone could find his youngest daughter right now, it'd be the pack of shifters, he had no doubt in his mind.

He just hoped against all hope she wasn't off doing something stupid like he feared.

Aro almost had her in his grips that last time, and he growled as he rubbed at his eyes which were stinging like they were on fire right now, while he stumbled through the heavily wooded area, swearing at her, threatening what he was going to do when he finally got his hands on her.

Cheyenne stopped, she didn't want to, but she had to, her ankle was throbbing really, really badly now, and it felt like it'd give on her at any second. "God damn it. Only I'd snap today, with a sprained ankle and stitches.." she mumbled as she tightened the gauze on her wrist, making sure the brass knuckles she had on were securely in place.

"I'm probably in serious shit when I get outta here. Better make this count." Cheyenne muttered as she heard a branch snap nearby, and didn't think, she just swung wildly. Her fist connected with something, and Aro grabbed hold of her wrist, pulling her out into the clearing.

The gray wolf came from out of nowhere, literally, knocking Aro down, knocking Cheyenne free from his grip and she was just about to get her hands on her knife, jam it into his back to stop him from hurting her 'pet' when Alec grabbed her and said in a barely masked angry voice, "You stupid, stupid little girl. You're only making things worse for yourself now. Now we're going to have to kill your little pet."

"If you fucking touch Wolverine, Volturi, I'll find a fucking way to make your life hell and your death slow and painful. I'm not fucking scared of you, or of death. We're all gonna die sometime. I'd rather go out knowing everyone I care about's okay and you're going with me."

"You can't kill what's already dead, you silly girl. And now, when I turn you and make you mine? I'm going to have no mercy." Alec growled, tightening his grip.

The wolf's attention shifted to him and out of nowhere, two more wolves came, getting her away from Alec as the group continued to fight.

Realizing they were outnumbered, naturally, Aro and Alec had the sense to duck out, leave the group there. "You were right about her, Alec. She could be an asset. She has a shield, she just doesn't really bother to use it unless she has something she wants hidden." Aro said as he looked back at the group from the woods, the two of them collecting themselves.

Down in the clearing, Embry Seth and Leah howled in wolf form to let Charlie know they'd found her. Then Embry nuzzled against her, looking over her in concern as she stood there, her hand in her hair, looking from wolf to wolf, biting her lower lip.

"Whoa.. Easy, guys. I'm not one of 'em. Just decided I had more than enough of their shit is all." Cheyenne babbled nervously.

Flopping down onto a log, she caught her breath, hugging against the wolf, looking at him. "That's twice, Wolverine, you saved my ass. I was trying to repay the favor. Didn't work like I'd hoped." Cheyenne muttered apologetically, as the wolf whined, nuzzled against her, licking a scratch on her arm she'd gotten when she'd ran through a briar bush earlier, in her hurry to get away from Aro when he'd been chasing her, hoping she'd get somewhere she had the upper hand in the fight.

**'That's twice in two days I've almost lost you, Angel.. Why do you keep taking this on yourself?' **Embry thought to himself as he looked at her, whining at her.

"I know, I know, Wolverine, that was probably the stupidest shit I've ever done.. But hey, at least they know if they push me, I'll push back." Cheyenne said as she rested her head against his furry back, raking her hand slowly over the thick and soft gray fur.

Charlie and the others heard the wolves howl, and a few seconds later, they saw her limping towards them, the wolf sort of helping her. Alice tried not to laugh as she recognized who's wolf form it was, whispering to Rosalie, "Wasn't she beyond furious with Embry ? I wonder what she'd do if she knew it was him..."

Charlie grabbed hold of his youngest daughter and then shaking her asked, "What the hell did you do that for? That was dangerous. You could have gotten killed."

"I'm sorry, Dad.. But I just got so damn sick of lying awake at night, wondering if he'd come into my room again, and last night was the last straw. I'm just tired of looking up and seeing him there. I had to do something."

"That wasn't what you should have done, sis." Bella said firmly as Cheyenne looked at her for a moment, like she was about to say something, but then shrugged quietly instead. She still hadn't really cooled off from their little fight before she left her father's. And when she'd thought she saw Alec lurking outside while she was tryin to cool off, that's what made her snap in the first place.

They walked back towards the house, after Embry's wolf form left with those of Seth and Leah, headed back for the reservation.

Falling onto the sofa, Cheyenne winced as she unlaced her combat boot and looked at her swollen ankle. "Fuck.. Yeah, next time, I'm gonna actually stop and think before I lose my temper."

Bella winced at the ankle, got Carlisle to come in and examine it. "It's not broken, luckily.. But the sprain's worse now. Charlie, I have the things to make a cast at our old house.. Do you mind bringing her over?"

"Not at all. And you, Cheyenne.. This stunt.. You are grounded. At least for a week, you won't be going anywhere but school and home.." Charlie said as Cheyenne grumbled then said quietly, "I deserve it. And I'm sorry I did that, worried you guys. I'm just sick of looking up and either thinking I see one of them or seeing one of them."

The ringing of her cell phone had her raising a brow as she looked at the caller id, raised a brow, then stepped into the kitchen to answer.

"What is it, Embry?"

"Are you gonna be home later?" Embry asked as he paced his room. He'd made up his mind, he was going to tell her what he was, what she was to him and why he hadn't been allowed to see her, tonight. He'd go to her, he was fairly certain that today's stunt got her banned from going anywhere for at least a week or two.

"Yeah.. I've gotta go get my ankle casted.. But when I'm done with that, I'll be home.. Why?"

"Because I want to come over. We need to talk." Embry said quietly as he heard her take a ragged breath and then ask, "About?"

"I'll tell you then. Maybe you'll understand why I've been acting like this lately.." Embry said as he let her off the phone, resumed his nervous pacing.

What if he told her and she completely freaked out? What if telling her what he was going to tell her made him lose her for good?


	7. Chapter 7

The Wolf's Out Of The Bag?

(A/N: Sorry for the angst fest up to this point, I hope you guys like the story so far, I really, really tried to make it realistic. Also, I wanna thank Lightbabe for the reviews, I'm so glad you like the story! )

She glared as she tried to wedge a pen down into the cast while swearing about it, then reminding herself that if she hadn't had the most epic 'tantrum' in the entire history of her life, she wouldn't be wearing said cast currently, nor would she be grounded for a week.

Rocks being thrown at her window had her raising a brow, but then her phone's screen lit up, Going Under by Evanesence announcing that she had a new text. She read it, then muttered, "You can't use the door, suddenly, nutter?" to herself as she stood, let the window up and then moved as Embry tumbled through her bedroom window.

"Hi?"

Instead of an answer, Embry continued pacing in front of her, as he looked down at her casted foot, and groaned, asking, "What the hell made you do that?"

"Do what?"

"The thing with the vamps, earlier? What made you bait them? Do you just WANT to die?" as he looked at her. Her brow quirked and she asked quickly, "How the hell did you know? And anyway, why's it matter? I mean given the way you've been avoiding me, I'd think it wouldn't.. Nevermind.. But still, how'd you even know?"

"Close your eyes."

She closed her eyes, but raised a brow beneath her hands as she heard the telltale sounds of clothing being removed. "If you're gonna... Just know, I'll scream."

He snickered and then said "No you won't. It's kinda obvious, Angel, that you like me.. A lot more than you admit. If not, you'd never have been bothered by me having to avoid you." before falling silent. As soon as he'd finished phasing, he nudged her hand with his cold wet nose, whined so she'd look down.

"What the..." Cheyenne muttered as she looked at the wolf in front of her, things slowly clicking into place for her now.. "Wolverine?" she muttered, her hand going to her long dark hair as she bit her lower lip, pacing now herself. Things made sense now, things he'd said or somehow 'known' and let slip to her that he knew about, when they'd talk.

Things she'd only told the wolf in front of her.

"What the fuck is going on?" she asked, sitting down, shocked mostly. Looking at her hands allowed Embry to phase back to his human form and dress quickly, and then he sat down beside her, took a few deep breaths.

And promptly got punched in the arm, her wincing when it hurt her hand more than it did his arm. "You ass! You were Wolverine the entire fucking time and you don't think to tell me one time? What the hell, Embry?"

She bit her lip and said quietly, "Suppose I see now why you were avoiding me.. All the stuff I said when you were here as a wolf. Probably disgusted you."

"No, actually, that part killed me.. Sam was making me stay away, I wasn't even allowed to tell you about it. I hated keeping it from you.. And I hate that you actually do feel that way about yourself. Why exactly do you feel that way about yourself?" he asked, making her look up at him.

She shrugged and said quietly, "Just always have. I mean when we were little, my dad and Bella always got along so well, I just sorta felt that sometimes he wanted her around more than me. Other than that, I was just sort of always the one who messed up? I dunno.. Stop deflecting, damn it.. What the hell, seriously? Sam Uley wouldn't let you tell me about this? Or see me? Why? I mean it makes no fucking sense." Cheyenne muttered, pacing, stopping to look at him, wary, almost as if she thought he were probably lying to her or something.

"Oh come on.. You're gonna stand there and tell me you don't remember the stories Billy and Harry told all of us when we were kids?"

"Yeah, but.." Cheyenne trailed off, biting her lower lip as her mind desperately tried to process that A, the guy she was head over heels in love with was actually a shifter who'd saved her ass on more than one occasion and B, now it almost seemed like he was trying to tell her something important, but he was too scared to do so. "Well?"

" I couldn't tell you, Cheyenne.. Because you're the girl I imprinted on. And if I'd come around you, lost my temper or something, I could've hurt you.. Like Sam did to Em."

She looked at him while sitting on her desk, trying yet again to wedge a pen beneath the cast on her foot. Embry stood and took the pen, giving her a look as she looked up at him, tried to remember why that sounded so familiar.. And then it hit her. One of the legends that Billy told them all when they were younger.. When she'd been so infatuated with Jacob.

"Give me the pen.."

"Nope, can't do that. You're gonna wind up getting it stuck or hurting yourself worse." Embry said as he studied her, worried. He couldn't read her emotions right now, so he really had no clue what she was feeling about what he'd just told her.

She sat there for a moment, not really saying anything, trying to get her head around what he'd just told her. Biting her lower lip, she looked up at him and asked quietly, "So.. Disappointed?" while biting her lower lip, wondering if he were in fact disappointed. She was a screw up for the most part.

He looked at her, brow raised. "Umm, no? I was actually pretty damn happy it was you.. I've kinda always had a crush on you, if you want me to be completely honest." he said quietly, as Cheyenne looked up at him, bit her lower lip, staying quiet as she tried to decide whether she could believe him, or if like others before, he was lying to get something out of it.

"Are you? Why not tell me, though?"

"Because, if I even tried, it was Jacob this and Jacob that, back then.. Then you left, sort of didn't come back until now.." Embry said quietly as she sighed, wincing. Yeah, he was telling the truth, she could sort of tell by the tone his voice took.

"Since I came back, Embry.. There are really only two reasons I did all that stupid shit I did to make my mom send me back.. one reason, of course, was my safety. I knew my dad wouldn't let anything happen to me.. But another reason was that I really, really missed you.. And that last summer I came for a visit, I sort of left with a crush on you.. That didn't actually go away.. So.." she admitted quietly, biting her lower lip as she looked up from her hands, waiting to see what he'd say or do.

He looked at her and then said quietly, "So that's why you came back?" shocked himself. He'd figured that it'd been mostly because her mother forced her to move in with her father. He hadn't expected her to have another reason for coming back.

"Yeah." she muttered as she slid off the desk, moved to stand in front of him, where he was sitting, before sitting down on his lap, leaning in, kissing him. His hands slid down her sides, rested on her lower back as he kissed her back then mumbled, "So.. How long did you get grounded for?"

"A week. Which means I won't be going to that dance.. "

"And I won't go either. I was gonna ask you if you wanted to go with me.. Maybe we can watch movies or something here?" Embry asked as she nodded and said "Yeah, I mean dad didn't say I couldn't have people over.. He just said I wasn't allowed to go anywhere."

His lips found her forehead and he said quietly, "What you did today, Angel, it scared the living hell out of me. Will you stop doing stuff like that?"

"Why do you keep calling me Angel? I mean I don't mind, really, just curious.." she asked as she looked at him and said casually, "And I'm not going to make any promises, Wolverine, but I'll try."

"I call you angel, because the night I realized I imprinted on you, Angel, you were still wearing the bridesmaid dress, dancing in the garage." Embry said as Cheyenne smiled and then admitted, "And I call you wolverine, well, because he was one of my favorite X Men.."

"So you're into comics?"

"Yep. I'm into more than just makeup and cheerleading." Cheyenne admitted, giving a slight giggle as she asked quietly, "So you don't have to avoid me anymore.. Right?"

"Nope. I wouldn't even if I did. I kinda told Sam where to shove his rules the other day when you showed up with Kim." Embry admitted as he held her against him and then with a laugh asked, "So, did they say your ankle was broken, or?"

"Not broken, but Carlisle said that if he didn't cast it, it'd most likely wind up breaking, given the fact that I stubbornly refuse to stay off of it or use my crutch.. I tried telling him I do use my crutch, he told me that using it to slide Oreos off of the top shelf and down into my hands didn't count.. Or flipping the tv, or poking Bells with it.."

Embry laughed as he shook his head and then said quietly, "I gotta get going. Not sure your dad would be too happy to come up here, find me in your room. I'll come with Leah and Seth to get you tomorrow." as he stole another kiss, climbed out the window.

Cheyenne sat on the edge of her bed in shock, both by what he'd just told her, and what he'd admitted to her. And she made up her mind that she'd trust her heart this time.. Maybe this wouldn't all blow up in her face.


	8. Chapter 8

Getting Used To Things

(A/N: Sorry for the angst fest up to this point, I hope you guys like the story so far, I really, really tried to make it realistic. Also, I wanna thank Lightbabe for the reviews, I'm so glad you like the story! )

The day and night before almost seemed like some bizarre dream or something as Cheyenne sat up in bed the next morning, grumbling as the alarm on her phone began to go off, indicating it was time to wake up and go to school. In fact, Cheyenne would have thought it a dream, had she not felt the heavy weight of the cast on her foot as she swung her long legs over the side of the bed and stood clumsily.

"Damn it." she groaned as she raked her hand through her hair, biting her lower lip for a moment as she thought things over. Then the other parts of the night before, the better parts came back to her, drawing a slight contented smirk to her lips as she muttered, "Well.. Let's see how this goes, shall we?" while digging through her clothes, then clumsily walking down the hallway to the bathroom to change. She'd just stepped out of the shower when she happened to catch sight of Alec standing behind her in the mirror.

Or at least she thought he stood behind her. When she turned around, no one stood there and only the faintest smell of sour death and decay hung on the air. Okay, so he was changing tactics now. She grumbled and reminded herself calmly that sooner or later, he'd be taken care of, one way or another as she continued to put on her makeup and straighten her hair for the day. Finally finished doing this, she made her way carefully down the stairs, sitting down in a chair across from her father at the dining room table. Neither spoke for a while, she simply shoveled bacon into her mouth while he read the sports pages and ate quietly.

When he finally did speak, he said firmly, "Nowhere but school and home. You're grounded, remember? I still can't believe you'd put yourself in that much danger knowingly."

She sighed and then muttered an apology as she said quietly, "I know, dad. You're disappointed in me. It's not a surprise, really." before taking her bookbag, her books and her jacket from the counter, then walking out the door. Embry stood at the foot of the small concrete steps to the front of the house, and he took her books, then used his arm to steady her as they walked down to Leah's waiting car.

"Your ankle's okay, right?" he asked in concern, she looked like she was in pain right now. She nodded quietly and then said in almost a whisper, "He was in my bathroom again. Now he's going to show up at random apparently, until I either cave in, or he drives me insane."

Embry growled and then tightened his grip on her as he said quietly, "I won't let him. So.. How long are you grounded for, again?"

"A week. But Dad doesn't mind people coming over, it's just me leaving the house. I think he's afraid I'll try what I did yesterday again. I won't, but I wish I'd actually accomplished something yesterday instead of leaving and bitching out like I did."

"You didn't exactly bitch out, Cheyenne. You mased the guy, you were putting up a pretty damn good fight back against Alec too."

"Wolverine, while I love your biased opinions, I totally bitched out. Had I had some real balls, I'd have jammed the steak knife in his heart or his head or something." Cheyenne pointed out as she leaned against Embry a little, mostly still cautious. What if he'd been trying to 'save her' and he'd lied to her the night before. When he kissed her, she quickly realized that this wasn't true, he hadn't been making it up.

"You're gonna regret it, you know.. Imprinting me.. I'm a hard to love fuck up." she muttered as he shook his head, grumbled to himself. He still didn't get where she got these ideas about herself, honestly, he didn't. "No, Angel, I won't."

She took a deep breath and then said "So.. How much of an ass chewing am I in for with the guys and Leah, Kim?"

"Oh trust me. They're all pretty pissed. I mean they get why you did it, you basically just got tired of feeling hunted, but still. What if he'd bitten and turned you?" Embry muttered, stopping their walk to give her a firm and concerned look.

She shrugged as she said quietly, "He still might. I'm just so damn sick of seeing the guy, really. It's like he's trying to see how much fear he can put in me before he finally turns me. If I didn't know any better, I'd almost swear to God he gets off on it."

"He does. But you're gonna be okay, you've got me, you've got the guys and Leah, your dad. Nothing's going to happen to you, Angel. I'm not gonna.."

She put her finger to his lips and shook her head no then said quietly, "Don't, okay? Because trust me.. I don't want anyone getting hurt because of this shit he's got with me. I'm certainly not worth it."Embry grumbled and then said quietly, "You are to me, damn it."

They got into the car, and the drive to school, of course, was mostly made up of her friends crawling her ass about what she'd done the day before. And the entire time they were doing this, Alec was pacing the woods just over the treaty line in anger.

"Sooner or later, that dog will have to leave her alone. And when he does. I'll finally have my mate." he muttered to himself in determination as he paced a little bit more, trying to lay all his plans in order. Because he had no doubt in his mind that soon, he'd have her where he wanted her. If he just kept messing with her mind a little at a time.


	9. Chapter 9

(A/N: Sorry for the angst fest up to this point, I hope you guys like the story so far, I really, really tried to make it realistic. Also, I wanna thank Lightbabe for the reviews, I'm so glad you like the story! VERY SHORT YET FLIRTY FLUFFY CHAPTER AHEAD. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. THE CHAPTER WAS INSPIRED BY THE SONG NIGHT TRAIN BY JASON ALDEAN, IT'S AMAZING, IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD IT, GO LISTEN NOWWW! THAT IS ALL! )

* * *

Night Trains & Stargazing

"Whoa, whoa.. Slow down, Wolverine.. Girl with casted leg.." Cheyenne muttered as she felt herself being lifted as he continued to trudge through the darkness, through the tall grass. The headlights from the truck they'd driven out here, to a field full of tall grass and wild flowers near a set of train tracks. "Better?" Embry asked as Cheyenne muttered "Lots. Mmm.. Are you always this warm, though?"

"Pretty much." he said as he felt his face heating, blushing. He wasn't used to actually being flirted with, girls being affectionate. Mostly, he just kept to himself, then he'd imprinted on Cheyenne. He laughed as she asked for the 5th time, "Are we there yet?" her voice muffled from where her lips pressed against his neck. "Yeah, we're almost there, Angel. I'm gonna have to cover your eyes though."

"What the hell?"

"Just trust me, okay? You do trust me, right?" Embry asked, pretending to look hurt when she pretended to have to think about it for a while, then answered quietly, "With my life, Wolverine." as she looked at him, let him put the scarf she had around her neck over her eyes for a few moments.

She felt herself being sat down on what felt like a fleece throw blanket, and then the scarf fell away. She laughed a little as she saw two Mason jars with candles lit inside them, a 12 pack of Wild Cherry Pepsi, which she drank almost religiously most of the time. Then she heard the not too far away long whistle of a night train. "Wow. You did all this.. For me?"

"Yeah. I usually come out here by myself at night, sit here, listen to the train. I thought maybe... It's corny, yeah, but I just kind of thought that you might like it or something." Embry muttered as he raked his hand over his close cropped black hair, looked at her, leaning back on his hands.

Cheyenne leaned in and pulled him into a kiss as she said quietly, "I did this with some of my friends in Phoenix. There was this one hill out near my mom and Phil's house.. We'd grab soda or beer and go sit out there with this ancient boombox, listen to the train and then play music nearly all night, just talk about nothing. I love this."

He fell back on the blanket and pulled her down with him as he looked up at her and then said quietly, " So you weren't always partying and stuff like you pretend you were?"

"Nope. I just let my mom think that. I mean had they actually thought to maybe ask me what the hell I was doing when I snuck out all the time, I'd have gladly told them. "

His thumb moved over her cheek, his hand rested there while his other hand brushed her hair back out of her eyes as he leaned up and kissed her, right as the train neared them, getting increasingly louder. She leaned in, nibbling his lower lip as she said quietly, "You, Wolverine are an amazing guy."

"And you Angel, are an amazing girl. So.. Since we kinda got screwed out of that slow dance, since you had to go Supergirl on me.. Do you want to dance?" he asked as she laughed a little, rolled over onto her back, let him pull her up. They danced to the sounds of the train's noisy whistle, and when the train left, they fell back onto the blanket, both of them laughing as she said "This.. Is the best date anyone's ever taken me on."

"Damn it.. Now I'll never top myself." Embry joked as he leaned in, their foreheads drifting together, as he put his hand on the back of her neck, kissing her. They lie back on the blanket, and Cheyenne pointed up to the sky, her head on his chest as she pointed out and told stories about the different constellations she saw. He listened to her and asked, "Where'd you learn all this stuff?"

"I'm a closet nerd ninja, Wolverine." Cheyenne laughed as she said quietly ,"No, when I was little, my dad, when he'd come to visit us for the summer, when we weren't here, he'd take me and Bella to the beach, he'd point them out, tell me the stories that went with them."

"Is that a shooting star? Don't you wish on those?" Embry asked as Cheyenne laughed and looked over at him as she admitted, "I used to.. I actually don't have to now."

He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead as he said quietly, "It's a break from everyone bugging the hell out of us."

"This is our place now." Cheyenne laughed as he nodded and then said "It is." as he stood and pulled her up off the ground. "We should probably get back to your dads."

"Damn it." she muttered, pouting as she looked up at him. Tonight had been the best date she'd ever been on.


End file.
